


Mind-Stitching Doesn't Have Mental Commands

by ArgentDandelion



Category: Kill la Kill (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Analysis, Gen, Meta, Mind Control, Nonfiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-27
Updated: 2017-06-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:48:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22502023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArgentDandelion/pseuds/ArgentDandelion
Summary: An argument that mind-stitching does not consist of mental commands.





	Mind-Stitching Doesn't Have Mental Commands

**Ryuko:** “She went and turned all the kids into zombies!”  
 **Ragyo:** “This is mind-stitching. I’ve sewn my basting threads right into their brains. Get her, my puppets.”  
 **Ragyo:** “You thought she’d fight for you, but after a little mind-stitching, she’s my pawn.”  
 **Ragyo:** “I’m sorry, but your little friend will never break free of my control. I have her nervous system tied up good and tight.”

These pieces of dialogue all suggest Ragyo has direct control over all mind-stitched people. It suggests they have no autonomy, and function only as remotely-controlled bodies.

However, the _behavior_ of mind-stitched people contradicts this.

**Evidence**

**Evidence 1.** Ragyo’s target was Satsuki, who tried to kill her. After giving the command “get her, my puppets”, the 1-star troops display enraged-seeming behavior and tr to attack Satsuki.

However, some of the 1-Stars try to attack _Ryuko_ , who isn’t Ragyo’s target.

Note that Ragyo said “get her”, not “get Satsuki”. “Get her” could be interpreted to mean any female combatant (with the obvious exception of Ragyo). If Ragyo gave instantaneous mental commands, this ambiguity would surely not exist. Therefore, it’s probable verbal commands are at least part of Ragyo’s direction.[1](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/162343532631/mind-stitching-doesnt-have-mental-commands#fn:1)

 **Evidence 2.** When Ryuko is mind-stitched, she attacks Satsuki without synchronizing. Furthermore, ostensibly Ragyo would want to kill Satsuki efficiently. Ragyo doesn’t know Ryuko is her daughter at this point, so it’s not reasonable she’s curious about Ryuko’s battle stats outside Synchronization. If Ragyo could give an instantaneous mental command, surely she’d command Ryuko with: “Use Life Fiber Synchronization” or, more loosely, “change tactics”.

 **Evidence 3.** If Ragyo had direct control over the troops, surely she’d have some strategy in using them. While Ragyo may have initially thought she could overwhelm Satsuki by sheer force of numbers, this is clearly proven not possible. Ragyo could have had some 1-Stars focus on disarming Satsuki and some focusing on throwing rubble at her from afar. She could have at least made them dodge her attacks. Yet, she doesn’t. This could suggest Ragyo doesn’t have much control over exactly how mind-stitched people execute her commands.

**Evidence 4.**   


Later, in episode 19, Ragyo mind-stitches some members of the Sewing Club. They are busily sewing even when she enters the room. Furthermore, sewing requires such sustained fine coordination that it would plausibly be difficult for her to make many people do this for sustained periods of time. Ragyo doesn’t appear strained or distracted when controlling the 1-Stars, Ryuko, or the Sewing Club members, despite the complexity of behavior and/or numbers. It’s more likely mind-stitched people have a degree of autonomy.

* * *

 **Bonus:** If one wants to closely observe the mind-stitching sequence, user Marshmallowgoop has provided several [gifs](http://marshmallowgoop.tumblr.com/post/162255833807/gif-request-for-argentdandelion-mind-stitching) of it.

* * *

  1. She did, however, tug on a thread immediately after saying this. It’s possible she needs _two_ components to give directions, or she didn’t really need to say “get her, my puppets” but did anyway. [↩︎](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/162343532631/mind-stitching-doesnt-have-mental-commands#fnref:1)




**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on my [Tumblr](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/). Feel free to comment on this article there or here.


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